Chapter 172 ·The Situation in the Spirit Realm

Time ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍flowed on.

Since ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gu Yan broke through to the Second Layer of Golden Immortal, another twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye.

By ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍now, he was already nine hundred and sixty-one years old.

On ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this day, within the Hall of Longevity, his body trembled slightly as the aura around him suddenly surged upward. His cultivation had already broken through once more, stepping into the Third Layer of Golden Immortal.

Gu ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yan slowly opened his eyes and inspected himself inwardly, only to feel that the foundation of his Dao had become even more solid.

Only ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍then did he realize that after immersing himself entirely in cultivation these past years, he had nearly forgotten about the situation outside.

With a thought, he immediately raised his hand and summoned the top-grade Connate Spiritual Treasure, the Haotian Mirror.

Gu Yan first turned his gaze toward the Spirit Realm.

The moment he looked, he was momentarily stunned.

Good heavens, the Spirit Realm had become lively once again.

Within the Haotian Mirror, the situation across the Spirit Realm appeared clearly.

Across the Central Lands, flames of war blazed everywhere.

The Western Wilderness Demon Race, led by the Great Peng Demon King, joined forces with the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign of the Northern Plains as support. The two armies merged together and had launched a massive assault against the Central Lands fifteen years ago.

Naturally, the Human Race cultivators of the Central Lands were unwilling to simply await death.

As the wealthiest region with the densest spiritual energy in the Spirit Realm, the foundations of the Central Lands were truly not weak.

There were quite a few old monsters at the peak of the Mahayana Realm hidden both openly and secretly.

All of them were individuals who could have long since crossed tribulation and ascended, yet deliberately suppressed their cultivation and refused to leave.

Why did they not leave?

There was no other reason.

The Immortal Realm might be good, but once there, they would merely become the lowest tier. How could that compare to remaining in the Spirit Realm as ancestors and rulers, enjoying complete freedom?

Thus, these old fellows had hidden within the Central Lands all this time, usually remaining inconspicuous. But now that foreign enemies had reached their doorstep, they had no choice but to step forward.

The war situation immediately fell into stalemate.

The Western Wilderness Demon Race held the advantage in numbers and ferocious battle strength.

The Northern Plains demonic cultivators excelled in strange cultivation techniques and ruthless methods.

Meanwhile, the Human Race of the Central Lands possessed deep foundations and exquisite formations.

The three sides exchanged blows back and forth for decades, yet none could completely suppress the others.

Watching the scenes within the mirror, Gu Yan slightly shook his head.

The Spirit Realm ending up in such chaos was well within expectations.

However, what happened next surprised him somewhat.

The image within the Haotian Mirror shifted, illuminating a corner of the Northern Plains battlefield.

There, a white-robed figure stood confronting the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign.

It was Yingluo.

Within the scene, the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign stood amidst the void, demonic flames surging endlessly around him. His eyes remained fixed firmly upon Yingluo, filled entirely with greed.

His gaze was not one admiring an opponent.

It was the gaze of someone evaluating an object.

An object of immense use to him.

Within the Haotian Mirror, the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign spoke:

“Spirit-Nurturing Heavenly Sound Stone… I searched for so many years, yet never expected to encounter it here.”

He licked his lips, the smile on his face growing increasingly savage.

“Obediently come with this sovereign and become my cultivation furnace. Once this sovereign’s cultivation advances greatly, the benefits you receive will naturally be abundant.”

Yingluo’s expression remained unchanged. She merely held the jade flute horizontally before herself and coldly looked at him.

Seeing this, the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign stopped wasting words and directly attacked.

The demonic flames transformed into a massive black dragon that swept toward Yingluo.

Yingluo raised her jade flute and played a single note.

The flute sound abruptly rang out, and the soundwave transformed into an invisible sharp blade that split the black dragon apart from the center.

The Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign was slightly stunned, clearly not expecting this seemingly delicate Spirit Race woman to possess such methods.

But he quickly regained his savage expression, waving both hands repeatedly as demonic flames spread across the heavens, dyeing the entire sky black.

Yingluo remained calm and unhurried as the flute melody rose once more.

This time, the flute music was clear and melodious.

The soundwaves materialized into tangible form, expanding outward in concentric circles.

Wherever they passed, the demonic flames extinguished one after another.

The Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign’s expression changed slightly. Just as he was about to unleash an even stronger method, he saw Yingluo suddenly put away her jade flute and raise a finger.

A ray of spiritual light burst forth from her fingertip, swift as lightning, striking directly into the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign’s chest.

Boom!

The Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign was blasted backward, coughing out a mouthful of black blood.

He barely stabilized himself, his complexion alternating between green and white as disbelief filled his eyes.

He was the lord of the Northern Plains, an existence at the peak of Tribulation Crossing.

Yet he had actually been severely wounded by a woman?

How was this possible?

Yingluo stood within the void, white robes fluttering, her expression calm and indifferent.

She lowered her head to glance at her finger before slightly shaking her head.

That strike could have been even heavier, but she had ultimately held back.

Not because she was soft-hearted.

She simply did not wish to push matters too far.

Yet she had clearly underestimated the Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign’s madness.

The Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign clutched his chest, his face deathly pale while venomous hatred filled his eyes.

He was the dignified lord of the Northern Plains, yet he had been heavily injured by a woman. If word spread, what face would he still have left in the Spirit Realm?

More importantly, the voice within his mind—that master he both feared and hated—was definitely watching.

He could not lose.

He dared not lose.

The Heaven Burning Demon Sovereign gritted his teeth and pulled out a blood-colored command token from his robes before crushing it violently.

The instant the blood-colored token shattered, a ray of blood light shot into the sky and flew toward the direction of the Western Wilderness.

That was the agreement between him and the Great Peng Demon King.

As long as this token was crushed, the Great Peng Demon King would have to abandon everything at hand and come provide support.

The price was three mineral veins, along with sixty percent of the Northern Plains’ tribute resources for the next hundred years.

But at this moment, he no longer cared about any of that.

Face was more important than resources.

No.

To be more accurate, fear was more important than face.

He could not allow that master to think he was useless.

Useless people had no value in existing.

And people with no value in existing…

Would die.

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